From bonafide guaranteed All-Star selections like the freshly retired Dwyane Wade to flat out ring-achievers like Magic Johnson, all 50 states have their most notorious NBA alumni. Unfortunately, your favorite player of all-time might not be able to make the cut to represent their hometown states. With that said, we have compiled the 50 best NBA players to ever hit the professional hardwood from each state in the US of A. See if your favorite NBA great has made the cut below.
Every year a new NBA prospect pops up with hopes of working hard enough to become an honorary member of the world's greatest basketball players of all-time. Unfortunately, for most, things don't pan out. Untimely injuries, poor work ethic, or sometimes just bad luck can plague an excellent NBA player into the forgotten oblivion of NBA hopefuls looking to become one of the greatest of all time.
Then there some players that have an irrefutable passion for the game and are constantly developing their skill set, allowing them to supersede their NBA peers and stack up the accolades necessary to be considered a Hall of Fame-caliber talent. Do you agree with our picks?
Not all celebrities have fame and fortune, some are just famous – and in a ton of debt. They came from rags to riches, then went back to rags. Whether they’ve filed bankruptcy, ended up in court, or just can’t stop spending, celebrities mismanage their money just like everyone else. They just hide it well.
50 Cent coined the term “wanksta,” then “partied like it was his birthday” until he filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2015. The rapper was said to be anywhere between $10 million and $50 million in debt. In 2016, a federal bankruptcy court judge in Connecticut approved a plan for the founder of G-Unit to pay his debts back. He was able to get his bankruptcy discharged in February of the following year.
Following a 45-year-long career in Hollywood, acting in more than 70 films, actor Gary Busey found himself in more debt than he was worth. In 2012, it was reported that Busey owed between $500,000 and $1 million worth of debt, but only had $50,000 to his name. The 74-year-old actor owed money to hospitals, banks, the L.A. Waterworks District, and even a storage company. He filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy that same year. Despite his longstanding career in Hollywood, Busey's net worth is now only $500,000.
Burt Reynolds is still worth five million dollars, but his battles with debt date back more than 20 years. Between bad investments and a pricey divorce from actress Loni Anderson, the 1970s superstar had to deal with over $10 million in debt and decided to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1996. While testifying in a 1994 custody hearing, the South Florida native said he spent $40 million getting through his divorce.
The former Hollywood bad boy, Charlie Sheen owes the IRS nearly $5 million. But that's not all. In 2016, his net worth was reportedly still as high as $150 million, but he was nonetheless $12 million in debt at the time – including mortgages, legal fees, and taxes. That same year, Debt.com reported Sheen owed nearly $300,000 on an American Express card alone.